Due to the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 in the first quarter of 2020, many global gatherings have been cancelled or postponed for the sake of people’s safety. Three important international toy fairs, however, have been held as scheduled, offering a precious opportunity for global buyers to discover new products and trends in the industry during this special period.
Hape Group participated in three top-level toy “feasts”, along with its eponymous toy brand Hape®, its sub-brands, German 100-plus-year-old handmade doll brand Käthe Kruse®, German creative building brick PolyM®, and its strategic partners, Europe's leading parenting magazine Eltern, and American infant and toddler products manufacturer Kids2’s sub-brand Baby Einstein®.
Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair
Date: 6th to 9th January
Location: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The 46th session welcomed 2100+ exhibitors and more than 40,000 global buyers to the “toy world”. Showcasing new elements for 2020 in the Dollhouse category - including a layered background with 3D design in the entrance - the striking visuals lured plenty of visitors into the Hape booth, with many buyers showing strong interest in the brand. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) took a tour of the Hape booth on the first day of the fair. Also, the President of China Toy & Juvenile Products Association (CTJPA), met and had an in-depth communication with Mr. Peter Handstein, the founder and CEO of Hape Group during the fair. In addition, Hape appeared in an article about STEAM and STREAM education on South China Morning Post that aired during the fair.
Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair
Date: 29th January to 2nd February
Location: Nuremberg Exhibition Center
This year, the Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair marked its 71st birthday. More than 62,000 independent retailers and buyers from across the world attended the fair in spite of the pandemic. Pepe, as Hape’s mascot, attended the Press Preview (a sneak-peek show for exhibitors showcasing their latest product ideas, a day before the official opening of the fair) with other exhibitors, presenting many of Hape’s hot and new products like Magic Touch Piano (a product with good sales and high praise), Pepe Pull Along and much more. Furthermore, Hape also appeared in many prestigious and popular toy magazines at the fair, such as Spirit of Play and Das Spielzeug.
North American International Toy Fair
Date: 22nd to 25th February
Location: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
Held by The Toy Association, the 117th toy fair welcomed around 30,000 professionals from all over the world. An innovative rectangle stand displayed Railway’s special features at the entrance, attracted many visitors to come inside, where they would discover even more interesting and special items, like the XXL version of Monster Math Scale demo. Aside from the regular visitors, Hape also drew the media’s attention, with XINHUANET interviewing Peter again this year, attaching great importance to his ideas and thoughts.
This year is doomed to be a special one. Owing to the pandemic, the traffic at the three above mentioned international fairs was lower than usual, while Hape still welcomed a lot of visitors at its stand, including potential customers and orders, with Pepe still proving to be a hit onsite. In the light of the buyers’ feedback, Hape is still a relative sought-after toy brand for most customers. For instance, customers from different regions gave high-praise to PolyM’s new selling strategy - bucket selling - for its novelty and innovation. With the STREAM (Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) trend becoming more and more prevalent, parents are seeking out educational and innovative toys like never before - which mirrors the development direction for Hape toys. The three international fairs concluded successfully, proving to be as meaningful as previous occasions, and Hape will, as always, continue to develop original and educational toys to meet its consumers’ needs, delivering more and more happiness to every child around the world.